Overall Thoughts on the Annie Sloan vs. Rust_Oleum Chalk Paint Overall I’d say these two paints are extremely similar. However, if I had to pick just one I’d go with the Rust_Oleum Chalked Paint. I’m honestly a little surprised by that, just because I’ve loved Annie Sloan paint for so many years now, but I really do think this version from Rust_Oleum is just as good after going through this comparison. And you can’t beat the price–it’s almost half the cost, which is a HUGE savings. It’s easy to apply, it adheres well, the finish is smooth, and it’s overall a really great option. Both brands also offer a protective top coat or wax, which is supposed to seal the paint and help protect against damage. I think you could get away with not using it with the Rust_Oleum paint. It dries to a very smooth finish that is actually really nice. I’m just not sure how helpful that would be. And to be really honest with you guys, I don’t think the Annie Sloan wax makes much of a difference either. You might remember that I chalk painted our bathroom vanities and after that experience, I can say the wax doesn’t do much “protecting” in my personal opinion. Not only is it crazy expensive, but I don’t think it does much at all other than smooth down the rough, dry finish. You can read about that fiasco with our bathroom vanities here. The only real limitation I see with the Rust_Oleum paint is that you don’t have a large color selection. It looks like Amazon currently offers seven different colors, whereas Annie Sloan has three to four times that many.

Okie dokie. Let’s do this comparison! Here’s the table I used for this project. I chose this one because of its dark finish and the fact that there’s some damage on the top. I wanted to see how well these paints would cover the scuffs and markings. I used the Annie Sloan paint in Old White and the Rust_Oleum paint in Linen White. I applied both with a regular paint brush.